April in Burgos

Interesting first days of April in Burgos, apart from the arrival of numerous African Birds, there is a good number of birds records, especially remarkable, less common birds in Burgos, I put some for you.

- Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax). 11-04-10 - Santillán del Agua (Fernando Román Sancho). Burgos, 12-04-10 (Gema Ortega, Roberto Milara) , Lerma 18-04-10 (Alfonso Antón, Fernando Román). 24-04-10 Villatuelda (José Luis Silva).

- Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis). Villadiego 02-04-10 (Nicolás Gallego Rojas). 05-04-10 Lerma (Alfonso Rodrigo García).

- Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea). 12-04-10 Burgos (Gema Ortega, Roberto Milara). 13-04-10 Tordueles (Alfonso Antón).

- Black Stork (Ciconia nigra). 16-04-10 Villarcayo (Josu Olabarria Bastida).

- Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia). 18-04-10 Grijalba (Carlos Palma Barcenilla).

- Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus caeruleus). 26-04-10 Torrecilla del Monte (Fernando Román Sancho).

- Monk Vulture (Aegypius monachus). Tubilleja (Javier Lamas Sierra). 08-04-10 en Báscones del Agua (Alfonso Rodrigo García). 24-04-10 Hozalla de Losa (José M. Vadillo).

- Osprey (Pandion haliaetus). 01-04-10 La Puebla de Arganzón (Javier Lamas Sierra). 10-04-10 Ura (Alfonso Antón).

- Black-billied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis). 01-04-10 La Sequera de Haza (Alfonso Antón, Fernando Román Sancho).

- Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta). 18-04-10 Arlanzón water reservoir (Julio César Amo Fernández).

- Little Stint (Calidris minuta). 19-04-10 Atapuerca (Alfonso Rodrigo García).

- Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus). 27-03-10 Ebro water reservoir (Manuel Estébanez Ruiz).

- Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida). 18-04-10 Ebro water reservoir (Manuel Estébanez Ruiz).

- Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica). 24-03-10 Quintanilla del Agua (Alfonso Antón).

- Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura). 01-04-10 Milagros (Alfonso Antón, Fernando Román Sancho).

- Ring Ouzel (Turdus torquatus). Palacios de la Sierra 28-03-10 (Sonia Martín Gómez). Peña Ulaña 03-04-10 (Justina Pérez Martín). Ordejón de Arriba, Peña Ulaña 03-04-10 (Agustín Salazar Celis). 10-04-10 Corralejo (Agustín Salazar Celis).

- Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus). 18-04-10 Sasamón , Grijalba (Carlos Palma Barcenilla). Atapuerca (Alfonso Rodrigo García).

- Wallcreper (Tichodroma muraria). 11-04-10 (José M. Vadillo).

More information HERE

100 Iberian Forest

100 Iberian Forest, by Kaiko

Woodpeckers, Treecreepers, Tists, Nuthatches, Hawks, Eagles, Warblers...All in the forests, forest of oaks, forests of beech trees,… The life in the forests feels at every moment, even in the quiet days of the winter. But now, in the middle of spring, our ears can’t listen all the sounds of the forest, like the spectacular voice of the woodpeckers. Here I show to you the 100 forests of Iberian Peninsula, an excellent work.

100 Iberian Forest

Project Life fight illegal poison in Spain

Action to fight illegal poison use in the natural environment in Spain

Project background

The ‘Red Book’ of Spanish Birds (‘Libro Rojo de las Aves de España’) highlights illegal use of poisons as a threat to endangered species protected by the Birds and Habitats Directives. Action is required to eliminate illegal use of poisons for predator control in Spain and so minimise such threats to the coun­try’s Red List species.

Project objectives

The main aim of the LIFE Nature VENENO NO project is to achieve a significant reduction in illegal poisoning incidents affecting protected species in Spain. Prior­ity species targeted by the project include the Spanish Imperial Eagle, the Lammergeier Vulture, the Red Kite and the Egyptian Vulture (including the Canary Islands subspecies). All of these raptors are included in the an­nexes of the Birds and the Habitats Directives. Overall project goals aim to make important contributions to Spain’s national strategy against the use of poisoned bait in the natural environment, approved by the Na­tional Commission for Nature Protection.

Expected results:

• Reduction in the illegal use of poisons for predator control, particularly in sites covered by Spain’s SPA network;

• Approval of regional action plans and protocols to help authorities tackle illegal use of poisons for predator control;

• Introduction and maintenance of new specialised control patrols that will serve as a model for similar species protection initiatives;

• Increased public support for the prevention of il­legal poison use in predator control; and

• Greater controls on the sale of licensed toxic products.

SEO/BirdLife in charge of the project VENENO

New article on Identification of Iberian Chiffchaff in Ornithomedia

Again a wonderful and complete article on Identification of Iberian Chiffchaff, is possible to see in Ornithomedia.

With a reference to the post of Birds in the North of Spain on the Song of Iberian Chiffchaff.

Abstract

“The Iberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus ibericus was previously referred to erroneously as P. brehmii and until recently was treated as conspecific with P. collybita and P. canariensis; It has been elevated to rank of full species on basis of bioacoustics, morphology and molecular biology.
It breeds in South-western France, Northern and Western Spain, in Portugal and very discontinuously in Southern Spain, Northern Morocco, Northern Algeria and North-western Tunisia; non-breeding range is not well known, includes North-western Africa (principally Tunisia), but main area appears to be farther South, in tropical Western Africa.
Several birds were reported during Mid-April 2010 in French departements (Vendée, Loiret, Indre) situated quite far from the Pyrénées. We present you a list of features to identify this recently-recognized species.”

Mammaling

A good birding and “mammaling” day. Today I leave to see birds but mammals too. A trip in the south of Merindades region, Iberian Chiffchaff, Bonelli´s Warbler, Bullfinch, Tits, Wryneck, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Buntings… a lot of common birds, a total of 45 species, but today the best are the mammals, a Rabbit, Badger, Fox, eight Roe Deer, Weasel, Hedgehog (dead in the road) and a Otter in the river, a great mammal day.